Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-05
yyasG,ington ns a ,rorscmnn.
IT. C.. Carr enter in the Magazine Of American
History


IT. G.. Carpenter in the Magazine of American
History.l
General Grant has gone into history
as the nan on horseback. Washing
tons portraits are largely equestrian,
and associated with every period Of
Jacl sons career are the horses he loved
50 well.
Cd citizens of Alexandria say that
Washington rode the finest horses in
Virginia, and that as o boy he broke to
the saddle the colts of his neighbor-
hood. 1t is said that he once rode ten
diff rent horses into Alexandra in
single week, and during his latter years
bis stables Mt Mount Vernon were
among the best in the country. He
visited lis horses upon rising in the
morning. and always saw that
they had their breakfast before
lie took his own. He kept tho
rouPhbrci horses, and his establish
mont at Mount Vernon was much like
that of great English lord. He had
his pack of hounds, and before the
revolution he was very fond of fox
hunting. He followed the hounds
everywhere, and was always in at the
death. lie had regular hunting cos
tune, and lis favorite hunter was
few, loDg-limbed horse which he
called "HluesEin," probably from its
colCr, q fine, dark irongray. His hunt
iug.costumc wos a blue coat, scarlet
waistcoat, buckskin-breeches, and top
boots. Hc wore 4 velvet cap, ami car
RED Il whip with a long thong. II
rdiouicd the idea that he could be
thIovD. and ne was wont to say that he
rcouirCd only one good quality In
boISc-nam,ly, ut must go along.
II was bis custom at Mount Vernon
prior to the revolution to hunt three
times a week, and the game chased was
made up Of cray foxes and stays. His
last hunt Vas in 1885, when he killed a
stag weighing 1916 pounds.
George Washington was very kind to
his horses, and displayed great deal
of sentiment in connection with his
treatment of some of them. The horse
he rode when ne received the sword OF
CORVALLIS, on the 10Th day OF Octo-
her. 1881. was fine chestnut charger,
with white face and legs. Washington
took him TO Mount Vernon after the
WAL aforementioned him TO doa stroke
Ct work.
At Philadelphia, while Washington
was President, the Executive stables
were in charge OF man called Ger
man John and at another time OF
Bishop, tie old body-seryant OF Gene
ral Eraddock. These chief hostlers
lad a number OF negro boys under
them. and George Washington Park
Gusts SAWS that Washington's horses
were of the kind known as muslin
horses" This nane came from the
testing Of IL, cleanliness Of the horses
with fine handkerchief. This was
blusLed over their ccata after they were
dressed, and if the slightest spot OF
dirt came oil upon the handkerchief
they were not considered we'll cHu1ed,
and the stable-boys were tied up and
whipped for Their negligence.
Tie President drove II team Of white
chargers. land the grooming OF these,
saws Gusts, "will rather surprise the
modcrns. The night before the horses
were expected TO be ridden they were
entirely covered over with plste, OF
which whiting was the principle com
ponent part. Then the animals were
swathed in body clothes, and left to
sleep upon clean straw. In the morn
| inc tie composition had become hard.
1t was well rubbed in and the horses
we've curritd and brushed. This pro-
cess gave TO their coats beautiful,
glossy, ard satin-like appearance. The
| boots we're now blackened and polished,
the mouths washed, the teeth picked
and cleaned, and the leopard-skin
housings being properly adjusted, the
white chargers we're led out for service.
such was the grooming II ancient
times
President Washinqton's coach, which
he used with these horses, was the finest
calliaoe i'll Philadelphia, and its panels
were painted by one of the great paint
ers OF that day. One of these panels
is preserved in the collection OF relics
in the National Museum at Washing
ton. It is copper medallion as big as
dinncr-plate, and the inscription con
nected with it says that the coach was
Of a cream color, and it had four OF
these medallions uponit, each of which
contained a painting by Capriana, a
famous painter of the times. The
BODY of the vehicle was in the shape OF
q hemisphere, and It's cream color was
ornamented with Cupids supporting
fcstoons. and with garlands of flowers
around the panels. Add to the white
loises and their splendid trappingS
lhis gorgeous coach and equally gor-
c,ous footman and coacbman, and you
nav have some idea of the turnout OF
cur first President. In addition to
this. there was chariot kept especially
for Mrs. Washington, which was four
horse affair, with black Positions IN
| livery.
Washington's stables at Philadelphia
contained ten coach and saddle-horses
in addition to the two white chargers.
tie had coachman and two grooms,
and the servants who accompanied him
in his rides were white. They wore
| i've mes OF NIlHt ClOlH "a iihihNh WIN
scarlet or orange. The white chargers
were the horses Of state, and one OF
these was the Presidents favorite sad
| die. horse. He was a fine parade horse,
as white as snow, and sixteen hands
high. His name was Prescott, and
the President thought a great deal
of him, though he had an annoy
ing habit OF dancing about on
the approach Of carriage. II war
the custom then for ladies in driving to
order their coachmeD TO stop and LEI
down the glasses of their coach when
ever the President appeared on horse
back, in order that he might pay his
compliments. Upon such occasion:
Prescott would always dauce, and
Doubt not Washington became at times
rot little txaspemted at him. The
ether charger was also purely white,
with flowing name and tail. He was an
Arabian steed. very high spirited, and
SO fery that no one put Washington
could ride him with comfort.